The Call Girl
by kick6789
Summary: Winnie Lovett, London's elegant socialite, becomes infatuated with her new charming neighbor, Sirius Black. Sirius, a history student who is cared for by a wealthy female benefactor, lets himself into Winnie's superficial world and succumbs to her beguiling allure. The two reluctant lovers both have a past that they keep at bay. Will Sirius and Winnie share a future together?
1. Chapter 1 - A Bright Sunday Morning

_1985 London, England_

* * *

The sun was shining extraordinarily bright on a Sunday afternoon as not a single cloud shrouded the sky. It was uncommon for the greater London area to experience such beautiful weather. In fact, Winnie couldn't last remember the day when the city streets were bathed in warm sunlight. She couldn't help but to press her nose against the window of the cab, staring out into the distance as she whizzed down Epmond Lane.

The cab came to a gentle stop as she gathered her things from the seat beside her. Winnie slid her sunglasses from her head to her nose while stepping out onto the sidewalk. In her hand she held a brown paper bag containing her breakfast for the day. Late Sunday shoppers littered the streets as they darted in and out of each designer brand. Tall women strode confidently with numerous shopping bags held in each hand; their noses pressed high into the air.

Winnie's eyes fell on a storefront that showcased a pair of stilettos with daring heights. She beamed from excitement upon seeing the rows of shoes that filled the store inside. She stuck her hand inside the paper bag and began to nibble on the croissant she purchased earlier. As the crowd continued to hustle and bustle, Winnie made a beeline towards the fabulous retail giant.

* * *

"Argh," she mumbled as she felt a sharp pain shoot up her calf. With every step she took, Winnie felt an ache burrowing deep into her legs. She developed a slight limp after wearing her newly bought _Clement Boissieu_ sandals. The shoes were limited edition; she just _had_ to own a pair. However, the sandals were impractical for walking more than a furlong in. Luckily, she had left the city landscape and was now trudging along the groomed sidewalks of a nearby neighbourhood. She even saw the roof of her apartment complex in the near distance.

The pain soon began to feel unbearable. If it weren't the hefty price she paid for the sandals, Winnie would've slung them off half a mile ago. She thought back to the seven-hour photoshoot she had to endure that ultimately helped pay for the shoes.

_"Are these__ really worth it?"_

She glanced down at the gold accents on her sandals.

"Worth it." She sighed.

* * *

"Ah, ah!" Winnie whined as she hobbled along the sidewalk. Her feet were red with stress and she felt a blister forming on her toes. She leaned on the entrance gate of the apartment compound and let herself in.

"Oh!" She exclaimed in surprise. A familiar man from the night before stood standing in front of the glass doors of her building. Winnie recognized the man immediately. She noticed him peering inside the empty lobby, looking for someone. He appeared less rugged than he did under the dim light at the bar last night. He was an older gentleman, 10 or 15 years her senior. His tailored suit and expensive watch made him look more dapper in the sunlight, she thought.

"Levi! How may I be of your pleasure?" Winnie plastered on a delightful smile and strode towards him. He gave her a tight-lipped smile.

"You weren't returning my calls. I thought you might've died." He replied with thick sarcasm. Winnie felt uncomfortable by the direct confrontation. She hid her uneasy expression with a friendly laugh.

"I got home very late last night, as did you," she winked at him. "I woke up extremely late this morning, at a Godly hour really," she continued while making her way up the front steps.

"And all that sleep made my face look so puffy!" She rummaged around her bag, searching desperately for her keys. "So, I thought, _hey_, I ought to treat myself to a rejuvenating blood facial!"

Levi eyed the playful girl suspiciously. He was deciding whether her excuse was plausible or not.

"I left you thirteen calls." He responded. Again, Winnie laughed.

"Yes!" She exclaimed. "I saw them all before I woke up. You see, I was starving by the time I woke up that focusing on what my breakfast would be was the only thing on my mind."

"You couldn't have made a simple good morning call?" He asked. It was then she realized that her decorated keychain sat on the kitchen counter upstairs. Winnie bit down on her bottom lip as she contemplated her next move.

"The lines were down!" She shouted desperately. Winnie had no intention to spend her day off with this man again. His inappropriate behaviour from the night prior left her feeling sour and exhausted. He drowned himself in alcohol while bragging about his insane fortune for nearly five hours. Winnie stopped entertaining him after his third drink. The night was unbearable for Winnie but at least he paid for her expensive dinner.

"I should make a call to London's telephone providers then," he muttered under his breath. Winnie could feel the sun beating down on her back as she remained trapped on the porch. It was obvious that Levi couldn't handle being ignored.

"D_oesn't this man understand boundaries?"_ She thought.

As much as she wanted to tell him off, she felt indebted towards him as he had previously covered her rent once (_or was it twice?) _when Winnie was short.

"Right!" Winnie spoke up. "I had a wonderful time with you last night and I do wish to see you again-" she continued as an unknown man nudged her from behind. Looking over her shoulder she noticed him turn a key into the door of the apartment. His long, curly locks fell in front of his face, covering any identifiable features. She did, however, observe the swirls of black art that covered his forearm and bicep. A portrait of a beautiful young woman adorned his left forearm in red and black ink.

"Excuse me," he muttered as he nudged her again whilst opening the door. Before the glass screen could shut from behind him, Winnie wedged her leg to keep the door open.

"It was lovely seeing you." Winnie stuttered as she slipped inside the lobby of the apartment. Levi jumped at the handle and held the door open for a moment more.

"When will I see you again?'

Winnie flashed him a dazzling smile. "You have my number." She said while slamming the door shut. Before Levi could protest, Winnie turned on her heel and dashed up a flight of concrete stairs.

"Hey!" Levi's muffled voice shouted from outside the door. "You said your line was down!"


	2. Chapter 2 - The Neighbour

_1985 London, England_

* * *

Winnie opened her eyes to complete darkness. It wasn't until she rubbed her face and moved the sleeping mask off her eyes that she realized it was pouring sunshine in her room. The pounding that woke her up crept its way into her head, forming an angry morning migraine. The sound didn't seem to cease as the minutes ticked by. She tore the mask off and flung it across the room.

"Coming!" She shouted in a croaky voice from her bed. Winnie slipped on a modest cover-up before shuffling out of bed. Her feet dragged along the floor as she slumped towards her front entrance. Winnie peered through the peephole to find the head of a man who she didn't recognize.

"Hello?" The man called as he continued to knock. Winnie tried to adjust her stance to get a better look at the man but the view from the keyhole was very limiting.

"Who is it?"

"Your neighbor. I need to use the telephone."

Winnie frowned. "_That doesn't sound like William,_" she thought of her elderly neighbor that often visited during tea time. She opened the door just as the man was about to knock again.

He dropped his fist to his side once he saw Winnie. He forced a smile.

"I let you in yesterday," he said as he dropped his smile. Winnie's eyes darted to his forearms that were covered with tattoos. She recognized the portrait of the young woman that identified him from the day before.

"So you did." She mumbled, looking back at his face. Winnie didn't mean to sound short but considering how tired she was, she wasn't in the mood to socialize.

"I moved in recently and haven't set up my line. Do you mind if I make a call?" The man asked.

Winnie scratched the back of her head and sighed. She took another glimpse at the attractive man standing in her doorway. Winnie stepped aside and fanned an arm into the hallway of her apartment.

"Come in," she sighed again.

"Many thanks." He said while stepping over a pile of mismatched shoes on the floor. As the man crossed the entrance, he glanced around at the mess in Winnie's apartment. Coats, shoes and other trinkets were sprawled along the floor and table tops. She wasn't the cleanest of patrons.

"It should be somewhere on the table over there." Winnie pointed at a vague area in the living room. While he walked around the coffee table cautiously (he was kind enough to step over the mess), Winnie remained in the kitchen to boil a pot of water.

"When did you move in?" She shouted from the kitchen sink. Sirius plucked an orange sweater up from the floor.

"About a week ago," he replied as his eyes darted around the floor, searching for a coiled telephone cord. Winnie dropped a sachet of tea into a chipped mug and sipped loudly. She proceeded to add several teaspoons of sugar after deciding it was far too bland for her liking.

"Which floor?" She asked before taking another sip. He glanced at her from behind his shoulder. "Same floor. End suite."

_"__End suite?"_ Winnie's ears perked up. _"He has money?"_

Her eyes followed him as he continued to pick several of her items from the floor and drop them back down. His long hair fell into his eyes several times as he repeatedly tucked the loose strands behind his ears. Winnie noticed him snag a lone hair-tie from the floor and pull his hair into a low bun behind his head.

"What do you do?" She wondered aloud between sips of tea. "_He looks around my age. His parents must be wealthy._"

"I'm a student, studying history." He answered without looking up from an open drawer. Sirius continued to rummage around stacks of Winnie's unopened mail. She frowned at his response.

"Where are you from?"

"Ventfolk." He replied immediately while shutting the drawer. Winnie placed a manicured nail in her mouth and began to chew on it out of habit.

"_Ventfolk? Where the hell is that?"_

"And you?" Winnie heard him ask from behind the television stand. She took her finger out of her mouth and wiped the saliva on her robe.

"Garmsby. I do modelling for advertisements. Have you seen the Spring ad for Leonard Albyn?"

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh. "That brand with the silly looking shoes?"

Winnie's jaw dropped in horror. "They don't have silly looking shoes! They're designer!" She exclaimed while pouring the rest of her tea down the sink and dropping the mug into the metal basin. He glanced at her again.

"How funny!" He gasped in mockery.

Winnie crossed her arms as she stared at the scavenging man in her living room. She watched him as he held her Cartier watch high into the air and towards the window. The sunlight from outside bathed the room in several warm hues of yellow and orange.

"Your watch is an hour early," he muttered while turning the bracelet left and right. The light reflected off the diamond encrusted band and bounced along the walls. Sirius watched the small fragments of light dance around the living room in delight. Winnie huffed.

"What time should it be then?"

"Eleven forty-five."

"Eleven forty-five?" She cried once she realized how late she slept in that morning. Sirius flinched at her exclamation and watched the girl sprint past him and into her bedroom. He was amazed at her ability to avoid tripping on the items that obstructed the floor. It was then he noticed a foot-width's trail that led from the kitchen to the bedroom, free of any belongings.

Winnie tossed herself in front of her vanity to begin preparing for her day ahead. She started by patting a loose, pale powder over her face and tidying the smudge of mascara under her eyes, left from the night before. Sirius followed her with the watch still in his hand, stopping outside her bedroom door.

"Is this a bad time?" Sirius questioned as he stared at her attempts to brush out a thick knot in her hair. Winnie glanced at his reflection in the mirror.

"Not at all." She said with a strained voice. "Besides, you haven't made your call yet."

Winnie yanked the hairbrush and groaned in pain as a large chunk of hair fell onto the floor beside her. Sirius hid a sigh before finding a spot in her chaotic bedroom to search for a telephone.

"Do you mind searching for a crocodile-patterned shoe while you're at it?" Winnie chirped as she threw pins into her hair in an attempt at a messy up-do. Sirius stared at the girl in disbelief. He couldn't fathom living in a home as disorganized as hers.

"It should be under the bed there somewhere." Winnie pinned the last tuft of hair away from her face and gave herself a job-well-done pat on the shoulder. She took another second to admire her glowing complexion in the mirror.

"So you're studying history, hm?" She pondered as she picked through a mountain of clothes. Sirius popped out from underneath the bed, holding what he thought was the patterned heel. Instead, it was a tattered looking 1966 Summer Holiday Barbie doll.

"Yeah," he mumbled, tossing the doll aside. "At King's College."

"King's College? You must be quite smart then." She said to herself. Opening her closet, she grabbed a wrinkled dress and pressed it up against her nose. It smelled clean enough to wear for an upscale brunch.

"What was that?" He called from underneath the bed.

"The shoe. Did you find the shoe?".

Before he could reply, Winnie hurtled into the bathroom next door to brush her teeth in record time. She couldn't risk wasting another minute of her time getting ready. This particular date was a stickler for punctuality and Winnie wouldn't dare to upset him. Running back into the bedroom, she found Sirius dangling the crocodile-patterned shoe from his finger.

"I couldn't find the other one."

Winnie narrowed her eyes and surveyed the room. In the corner of the bedroom sat an open suitcase that held many winter coats piled atop of each other.

"There!" She said while diving into the pile of coats. Her hand thrashed around the suitcase until she yanked out a matching patterned heel. Winnie then grabbed the other shoe from Sirius and stood the pair on the ground. Placing a palm on his shoulder for support, she slid easily into the heels.

"There we are." She breathed, clapping her hands together. "Now where is that phone?"


	3. Chapter 3 - The Pretty Lawyer

_1985 London, England_

* * *

Winnie stood on the cold tiles of her kitchen, thinking hard about where she last left her telephone. Sirius was surprised to find a home in which there wasn't a single telephone attached to the wall. He thought that rotary phones were out of style for his age group.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a bright yellow telephone receiver hidden in a large potted plant beside the kitchen counter. The lower half of the telephone was buried under a few inches of dirt inside a terracotta tiled pot.

"I think I found it," he said as he pulled the telephone out from the pot. Sirius shook the telephone free from any remaining dirt and placed it down onto the counter. As he was about to dial a number, Winnie lunged at the telephone and snatched it off the counter-top.

"Oh no," She scoffed. "That's for decoration"

Sirius frowned. Winnie then dropped down on her knees to open a cupboard that revealed an old rotary dial.

"This one," she said with a smile, "should work."

"Thanks again," Sirius said as Winnie followed him outside the apartment. An over-sized, plush key-chain dangled around noisily as Winnie locked the door to her home.

"What are neighbors for?" Together, they headed towards the concrete stairs and down to the entryway. As Winnie led the duo, an important question rang in her mind. She halted in her steps and turned to face Sirius who stood on a step above her.

"You didn't tell me your name." She asked. Winnie's eyes focused on his clean black t-shirt and tattered blue jeans. He looked very shabby for someone who rented an end suite in West Harvington.

"Sirius." He replied, staring back at the young girl. Winnie gave a bratty-sounding "_hmph!_" whilst rolling her eyes before replying.

"Yes, I'm serious." She frowned.

He furrowed his eyebrows, causing deep grooves in his forehead to appear. Sirius stared at Winnie for a second too long before replying.

"My name is Sirius," he said while squinting.

Winnie averted her gaze from his eyes as her insides sunk with embarrassment. She found herself biting down on her index finger, feeling very awkward and stupid.

Sirius sighed in pity. "Come off it," he flicked his fingers out in the air. "You haven't been the first to make the mistake."

Winnie took her finger out of her mouth and responded with an apologetic grin.

"I'm Winnie," she struck her arm out towards him, waiting for a handshake. Sirius clamped his large hand into hers.

"Short for Winifred?"

Winnie grimaced. She swore she heard the distinct whine in her mother's voice when Sirius said her full name. She always winced dramatically when somebody referred to her as _Winified_. She desperately wished she was given a name that aged with class; Rose, Jacqueline, Audrey, Eva. _Anything except Winifred!_

"Just Winnie." She seethed through clenched teeth. She turned on her heel and clambered down the steps with Sirius trudging close behind.

Pushing the door open, another day of sunshine greeted Winnie much like the day before. Her mood instantly brightened as she felt the hot summer air wrap around her arms like a thick blanket. Despite the infuriating car horn coming from a nearby vehicle, Winnie's ears focused on the birds who sang in a tree above her.

"Do you hear that?" She cried out. Sirius stood searching in the distance at whatever Winnie was going on about.

"Who can't? That parked car has been going off all morning." Sirius grumbled as he shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand. Winnie's face turned sour with a frown.

"I was talking about the birds." She retorted. Before Sirius could object, she hopped down the concrete steps of the building away from him. Beyond Winnie, Sirius squinted at a figure seen behind the iron gate. A tall woman, dressed in all black was a difficult sight to miss against the stark blue sky. Underneath her wide-brimmed hat, husky blue eyes leered back at Sirius.

"Sirius!" Her deafening voice silenced the birds that once chirped in the tree beside Sirius. Even the car horn seemed to have stopped blaring once she opened her mouth. Winnie slowed her pace as the woman came closer to the gate. She surveyed the woman's face;her perfectly constructed nose balanced the prescription _Dior's_ in front of her eyes. Fragments of silver and white hair found themselves tucked neatly beneath a _Judy French_ sun hat. She wore a 1975 _Acadorlo_ jacket with high shoulder pads, and a simple black pencil skirt to match. Not the mention her bag…

"_Is that a Lydia Spence tote?_" Winnie's eyes widened at the tiny red bag that hung on the woman's wrist. The memory of her gorging on saltine crackers for several weeks played in Winnie's head. She suddenly remembered the time when she tried to save up a month's worth of ad campaigns to purchase the expensive bag. On the release date of the bag, she realized she needed another _month's_worth of work to afford the accessory.

"Jesus Christ," he muttered under his breath. "Elva?"

He didn't seem to want to open the gate for his visitor as his hands remained in the pocket of his jeans. The woman removed her glasses with the delicate fingers on her gloved hand.

Elva's daring red lips curled into a thin smile. "Do please open the gate and give me a hug, dear."

Reluctantly, Sirius pulled a single key from his pocket and unlocked the iron gate. Elva didn't wait for Sirius to open the gate for her. A second after he turned the key, Elva pounced at Sirius and engulfed him in a tight embrace. Winnie stood in discomfort while watching the exchange. Her eyes wandered down to Elva's feet, to which her jaw fell open in surprise.

She recognized the 1983_limited-edition-and-very-exclusive_ Spring Collection by _Kathleen Taylor_ heels.

"Who's your friend?" Elva asked once she removed herself off Sirius. He appeared to look stiff as Elva's hand remained clutched around his bicep. Her prim smile made Winnie feel insignificant and small. Elva's eyes squinted suspiciously at the girl who stood beside Sirius. At a closer distance, Winnie noticed aging wrinkles on her forehead, eyes and lips.

_"This must be his mother."_ Winnie thought.

"I live in this building," Winnie managed. Elva glanced between Sirius and Winnie.

"She's my neighbor," Sirius added. Elva's menacing expression relaxed. Winnie felt her own shoulders relax upon the change in Elva's presence.

"Lovely to meet you." Her posh accent rang through her words. "Those sandals are classic. 1953 _Mella Viari_?"

Winnie modelled the kitten-heeled sandals she was wearing.

"1975 _Mella Viari_. Remakes." Winnie corrected her. "My mother had the 1953 pair."

Elva nodded at Winnie before turning her focus onto Sirius.

"I wanted to pick you up. I was in the area," Elva coaxed as her thumb dug gently into Sirius' arm. He slid her hand off his arm and instead held onto her fingers. Winnie took notice of the intimacy between the two and tried to squeeze her way between the gap of the open gate. She caught the wandering eyes of Sirius who noticed her small frame move from behind Elva.

"I haven't properly introduced you," Sirius' piped up. Winnie froze before she could safely exit the courtyard. Sirius dropped Elva's hand as Elva turned her neck to face the girl.

"Elva, Winifred. Winifred, Elva." Sirius smiled. Winnie couldn't think of anything to say or do other than give a meek smile. She didn't understand why a formal introduction was needed.

"It's wonderful to meet a friend of Sirius'," Elva spoke with elegance. Winnie nodded. "I'm his lawyer."

"_Lawyer!?_" Winnie thought. She shook Elva's gloved hand as it held outstretched towards her.

"_Why would he need a lawyer? Who holds hands with their lawyer?_"

Winnie glanced at Sirius whose expression was a mix of pain and surprise. She eyed him suspiciously before abruptly looking away. The radiant necklace strung around Elva's chest shone bright in the moment. Fragments of sunlight reflected off the large centre stone, shining directly at Winnie. She immediately averted her gaze to the ground to avoid excessive eye damage.

"Are you two close?" Elva asked in a mature tone. It was difficult to guess Elva's age, but Winnie figured she was born was well before the second World War. Her sensible style could hide her worn-out figure, but the signs of aging on her face said otherwise.

"I met her this morning," Sirius answered. "I haven't got my line set up yet. I needed to make a call." Another prudish smile appeared on Elva's lips. The woman nodded at Sirius.

"What a wonderful neighbor." She muttered. The situation quickly grew tense once Winnie realized how animated Elva was acting. It was then she remembered how horribly late she was to meet her date. Not wanting to waste another minute, she darted out into the street and shut the gate from behind her. Without saying a word, she left the odd couple and hailed a nearby cab.

"Goodbye Winifred!" She heard Sirius shout from behind her.


	4. Chapter 4 - A Night on the Fire Escape

_1985 London, England_

* * *

Night began to settle quickly over London as the glimmer of faraway stars littered the sky.

Arriving home from an evening dinner, Winnie's stomach felt heavy with Italian pasta and white wine.

Exhaustion began to overwhelm her as she hobbled up the steps to her apartment. Entering the building, she slipped off her _Pascual112_ heels to carry instead. Winnie winced when she saw a red blister forming on her toes.

"_Why does this always happen?_" Winnie thought as she limped up the stairs to her apartment. When she arrived at her floor, she noticed a man standing patiently near her door. She didn't recognize him from his thin build and cropped blonde hair.

"Sorry," she mumbled while nudging him aside to unlock her door. Winnie was hoping that the man wasn't waiting for her but perhaps for some other suitor on her floor. He stood with his back against her.

The man straightened the cuff on his jacket before turning to face her. Winnie felt her face drain from colour upon seeing him. She frowned at his downcast expression.

"Winnie," he breathed, looking very sullen. Winnie recognized the man from a date gone sour. She could clearly recall the evening she had dinner with him:

He saw her at an Arthur Tollfree boutique in East London and asked her what her plans were for the night. He charmed her with his effervescent smile and ironed _Armani_ suit. Winnie assumed he was "old money" as he arranged a 1920s Rolls Royce to pick her up in that evening. It wasn't until after the date when she realized how young and broke he truly was. After a glass (or three) of red wine, he admitted that his suit and car were a rental and that he didn't have enough cash to pay for both their meals. The night was quite horrendous, to say the least.

"What are you doing here?" She snapped. Winnie knew his well-groomed appearance was a facade.

"You weren't answering my calls," he replied dolefully. Winnie massaged the bridge of her nose.

"How did you find out what floor I lived on?"

Winnie spent the past week listening to his endless string of voicemails that begged her to ring him back. Ben managed to call so frequently that the voicemail function on her telephone refused to accept messages from any additional caller. Before meeting Ben, Winnie didn't know that her telephone even held voicemails. She woke up and fell asleep to his voice every day that week.

He gave a sheepish smile and a shrug. "I knocked on every door and asked."

Winnie closed her eyes in exasperation. His attempts to impress her have now become desperate. Luckily, Winnie didn't feel the need to forge a smile since he had no money for her to entertain.

"Please, Ben." She raised a palm to his chest and took a minute more to gather her thoughts. "I'm not interested in you."

As she went to open her door, Ben placed his hand on top of hers.

"Modelling isn't sustainable Winnie. You can't live on advertisement money forever," he said in a low voice. Winnie scowled.

"And who says I can't?" Winnie tore her hand away from Ben's.

"You're so beautiful Winnie," he cooed. "I can get you on the runway."

Winnie rolled her eyes. She wasn't tall enough to be on the runway, she thought. She turned towards the door and tried to wiggle open the lock.

"I can help sign you contracts with the big companies; Calvin Klein, Adidas, anything you want." He added. Winnie knew he had prepared an entire speech for him by the way he sounded enthusiastic about the idea. Without hearing the rest, she knew she would hate every word of it.

"I don't want to do any job that I didn't earn myself. I don't need your help." She said abruptly. Turning back to fumble with the lock ("_out of all days, you decide not to open today?_").

"You will never have to audition for another job again!"

"What makes you think that I hate my job?"

"It's not right for a gorgeous woman like yourself to-"

"A gorgeous woman like myself to what?" She shouted, staring hard into his eyes that begged for her approval. Ben knew how headstrong Winnie could be but he was determined to have her listen and understand him. He convinced himself that there was a chance to mend the relationship.

"I'm in love with you." His eyes locked onto Winnie's face. A deep frown creased into her lips. Turning towards the door again, Winnie felt the click of her lock open as the door flew inwards. Her body stumbled into the apartment under the weight of the door. She regained her posture to glare at him one last time.

"My life is good as it is. Would you like me to ring for a Rolls Royce to take you home in?" Winnie then slammed the door on his dumbfounded face.

"Winnie!" She heard him wail from the hallway. Winnie dumped her keys and shoes on the floor beside her.

"Leave before I call the police!" She shouted angrily. Ben responded by pounding on her door with his fists. Winnie never expected a man of his age to have a temper tantrum outside of her apartment. She flinched at the sound of his hands colliding against her door; it sounded deafening from the inside of her apartment.

"Please Winnie!" He howled. "Let me in! I love you!"

Instead of feeling frightened, she comfortably walked into her bathroom to get ready for the night. But even after completing her nightly routine his begging still hadn't ceased. Fifteen minutes had passed and she could now hear a muffled sob coming every so often from the hallway.

In an attempt to ignore him, Winnie changed into her pajamas and sunk down into the mattress of her bed. She had _VOGUE Volume III_ propped open on her chest and a nearby lamp turned on. She flipped through the pages, one by one, admiring the brand's 1980s Winter collection. Ben had almost escaped her mind until another weep echoed her name.

"_Is he still here?_" She thought while snapping her book shut and sliding out from under the covers. She slipped on a pair of slippers before shuffling her way to the front entrance.

Standing on her toes, Winnie peered into the peephole to find the hallway empty. She frowned.

_"I thought I heard him-"_

"Winnie, please," Ben sobbed. Crouching down on her knees, Winnie pressed her ear against the lower half of her door. She was careful not to make any noise until she lost balance and crashed her head against the doorknob.

"Winnie?"

Winnie winced as she held her forehead in pain. She fell back onto the floor and heard a great deal of shuffling against the door from the hallway.

"Winnie can you hear me?"

Again, Winnie frowned.

"_He isn't going to leave,_" she thought.

As Ben attempted to converse with her (_"Winnie if you could just let me in…"_), Winnie stood up and placed a finger on her lip.

1\. Call the police.

_"What a load of knobs._" She thought about the local police force who were more keen on issuing parking tickets than they were on fighting crime. Winnie fixed her gaze on the door, thinking about Ben who sat on the opposite side of the wall from her. She continued to hear him whimper. "_Alright. If he gets out of hand… Maybe. Next._"

2\. Call a friend.

"_What is a bimbo going to do for me?_" Winnie thought of her friends who shared the same build and frame as her. "_As if any of them could move this oaf. Next._"

3\. Call security.

"_Does this building even have security? Next."_

4\. Drag him out of the building.

"_He's well built in both height and weight… No. Absolutely not. Impossible. Next._"

5\. Ignore him.

"_Who knows how long he'll stay here! I can't even read VOGUE without him interrupting. Next."_

Winnie glanced around her apartment. Her eyes hovered on the window that led to the fire escape outside.

_"Maybe I could sit on the fire escape until he leaves?"_

She stared at the iron balcony outside. The humid air was warm enough to allow her to sit outside all night. While she contemplated that option, she heard Ben murmur her name again.

_"Fire escape it is."_

She threw on a light shawl that hung on the shoe rack beside her door. Winnie crossed the living room towards a large window that sat above a pink velvet sofa. Perching on top of the love-seat, she lifted the heavy window pane that opened to the fire escape. She glanced behind her shoulder and scoffed at where Ben sat in the hallway. Winnie then jumped onto the landing that ran the entire length of the building. On either end of the iron balcony were two flights of metal stairs that led both upwards and downwards. A warm breeze tousled the hair that hung down in strands around her face.

Winnie peered down at the ground below her. She found a thin strip of concrete slabs that would guide her to the front of her apartment building. From there, she could hail a cab and escape elsewhere. The chipped sidewalk was dimly illuminated by the light emitting from those who occupied the first-floor apartments.

"_Where could I go?" _She thought as her eyes followed the sidewalk to the edge of the building. Winnie concluded that the situation wasn't dire enough for her to leave the grounds of her apartment.

Winnie lifted her head and observed the balconies above. She knew that the rooftop of her building wasn't accessible from the fire escape. If she were to travel upstairs, she could only find solace on the landings of other residents.

She held her head in the palm of her hands. "I'm stuck."

She spent another few minutes deciding what to do. It was obvious that her only option was to hide out in her apartment until Ben left. However, Winnie couldn't stand to spend the rest of her night listening to his cries. She stared out into the distance, focusing on the blurry lights of East London's skyline.

After a loud and dramatic sigh, she began to walk along the balcony towards the edge of the building. As she reached closer to the end, she noticed that the final window (belonging to the end suite) was open. The calm wind pulled the curtains from inside the apartment through the open window.

Winnie paid attention to her movements as she crept along the balcony. She focused on the gentle steps of her feet, being careful not to make noise. Unfortunately, the building was constructed in the early 1920s and the iron balcony creaked with every step she took. Whoever rented the end suite would hear her walking across the escape.

She crouched down to her feet in an awkward, squat position and began to waddle towards the open window. As Winnie approached the apartment, the thin curtains lapped gently against her head.

She heard babbles of conversation inside the apartment while passing underneath the window. As she reached the end of the window, a woman from inside moaned loudly.

"_Ah, Sirius!"_

Winnie grimaced. She recognized that type of moan instantly. _That moan, was a sex moan._

Winnie's face contorted into several different expressions. She couldn't bring herself to move forward despite the scene going on indoors. The woman continued to shout several profanities, along with a creative vocabulary Winnie had never thought to use. Winnie gagged as more grunts came from both Sirius and his woman.

Then, the perfect solution dawned on Winnie. She clung onto the windowsill to balance her hunched frame.

"_Option six! Call Sirius!"_

So, as Winnie sat there patiently underneath the windowsill she waited for the ideal time to peek into the room. She heard the rustle of a bedcover and someone stand up from the mattress.

"Well done," a voice muffled from the far side of the bedroom. Winnie noticed a posh accent in her tone that she recognized. Her eyes darted from side to side as she thought hard of where she had heard that voice before.

"Water?" The same voice asked. More rustling came from what Winnie thought would be the bed.

"I'm alright," Sirius replied. More movement happened inside the apartment as Winnie could make out the faint sound of footsteps treading lightly on the carpeted floor.

With her fingers on the edge of the concrete windowsill and the night sky camouflaging the top of her head, she lifted herself above the ledge just as a gust of wind pushed the curtain away for a better view.

Winnie bit her tongue to stop the gasp that threatened to leave her mouth. Her jaw hung open as she stared into the bedroom.

Elva bent down to tuck several strands of hair behind Sirius' ear. She then cupped his jaw into her arms and held him tenderly. The older woman leaned in for a kiss on the lips. Winnie's eyes directed themselves to the ruffled sheets of the bed. She found Sirius laying on the pillows with his chest void of any clothing.

"_I knew it! Who the hell acts like that with their lawyer?"_ Winnie thought back to when she first met Elva earlier that week.

As Elva said her goodbyes she revealed a large stack of bills secured by a thin rubber band from her handbag. Placing them on his nightstand, she blew him a kiss before leaving the room with a _Claus Howers_ coat draped over her arm.

Winnie's eyes widened.

"_He's a prostitute?"_


	5. Chapter 5 - The Business Transaction

_1985 London, England_

* * *

Once Winnie was certain that Elva left, she peered into the room again for good measure. She heard the door of his apartment close and the faint click of Elva's heels trail down the hallway. The curtain fell back inside the apartment and clouded Winnie's view. Through the curtain, she saw the silhouette of Sirius rest against the headboard of the bed. Winnie climbed onto the windowsill like a housecat and swung her legs into the bedroom.

"I never knew you were so close with your lawyer," she said while throwing the curtains aside. Sirius didn't react when Winnie appeared in his room. He reached for a cigarette and lighter from the side table.

"What are you doing here?" He mumbled with the butt of the cigarette in his mouth. Winnie watched as he lit the cigarette and disappeared in a cloud of hazy smoke. Winnie took a moment to glance around his bedroom. For an end-suite, the size of the room was grand. However, she assumed his bedroom would be far messier than what she saw. Instead, she found a beige and white colour sequence amid an otherwise barren room. The only décor he had were a few potted plants, a large mirror propped up against the wall, and a tall bookcase filled with leather-bound books. A bedside lamp bathed the room in a pleasant, golden glow.

"There's a man sitting outside my door," she shrugged as she sauntered towards the bookcase. Sirius took another drag from his cigarette.

"Is he bothering you?"

"He's irritating me." She placed a finger on the spine of a textbook, feeling the grain of the leather cover. Beside the book, she found a framed photograph of a boy standing beside a woman. Winnie reckoned it was a picture of Sirius and a family member. They shared a resemblance of strong facial features and striking black eyes. Both of their expressions looked grim.

"But is he bothering you?" Sirius repeated, looking at Winnie while she stared at the photograph on the bookcase. Her eyes traveled to the higher shelves. Rows upon rows of books sat tight against eachother. She tilted her head to read some of the titles: _"Le Tsunami de Déraillement"_, _"The Era of Extinction"_, and_ "A Brief History of the Entire World." _

"I suppose." She muttered while continuing to read the book titles. Sirius sighed as he gazed out the window.

"Should I call the police?" She suggested, looking at him for an answer. Sirius brought his cigarette up to his mouth again.

"Policemen are knobs," he grumbled. Winnie nodded in agreement. She strode towards the mirror as Sirius flicked the dying cigarette into an empty glass cup. He glanced at her in the mirror's reflection.

"You can stay here for a bit," he offered. His voice sounded rough as a smoker's voice should. "But do you mind shutting your eyes? I haven't got any underwear on."

Winnie looked at him in the mirror and saw a tiny smile form on his face. She scowled before covering her eyes with her hands.

"I didn't know you and Elva were close." She mumbled into the palm of her hand. Sirius threw back his duvet and reached for a pair of underwear tossed somewhere under his bed.

"Oh yeah," he replied nonchalantly. "We're very close." She heard him snap the elastic band of his boxers. Winnie hesitated before withdrawing her hands from her eyes. She peeked through her separated fingers to find him standing directly behind her, in the mirror.

"You can open your eyes now," he said as Winnie gasped in surprise. Sirius grinned before turning around to sit back down on the bed. Winnie glimpsed at the stack of bills that Elva left on the nightstand.

"You know," Winnie stalked towards the money. "It's usually the client who pays for the service. Not lawyer."

He glanced back up at Winnie's smiling face and then turned to face the window.

"How long were you waiting outside for?"

"Long enough."

"How much did you see?"

"I saw enough." She shrugged.

Sirius eyed her suspiciously. Winnie made a conscious effort to not break her expression. She stared at him with her best poker-face impression.

"The money was from a favor I did for her last week," Sirius itched the back of his neck. Winnie noticed the sheepish look on his face and smiled.

"Did that favour include condoms and lubrication?"

Sirius turned his head away from Winnie to hide a smile. Winnie noticed the corner of his mouth perk up and she too couldn't help but smile.

"It's alright," she cackled. "We all 'ought to earn our money somehow."

Eventually, Sirius let out a breath of relief and even found himself laughing with Winnie. He sighed again before taking the wad of cash in his hands.

"How much did she give you?" Winnie asked out of curiosity.

"No less than £250."

Winnie jutted her bottom lip out as she nodded approvingly. "So, what does that make you? A prostitute?"

Sirius let out his signature bark-like laugh. "As if a man of my caliber would call himself a prostitute."

He walked over to the bookcase and lifted his arm towards the topmost shelf. Winnie hadn't realized how tall he was until she saw how easily he could reach the shelf. His fingers pawed at a wooden box that he brought down to his chest. He opened the clasp and pulled back the lid to reveal an obscene amount of cash.

"She pays for nearly everything." He shrugged, dropping the** £2**50 stack into the box. He seemed unconcerned about the situation now that Winnie knew the truth.

"Right. She pays you in return for sex." She raised her eyebrows and waited for Sirius to comment. Winnie knew what she saw.

Sirius shook his head. "She's the only woman I'm seeing."

Winnie stared at him before realizing she was in the wrong. "So you're a sugar baby?"

Sirius squinted his eyes at her and jutted his head forward. "I'm a what?" Winnie laughed in delight and clapped her hands together.

"You're a sugar baby!" She repeated louder. "You get paid for being with her. Taking her out to brunch, having sex with her, whatever!"

Sirius shook his head. "You make it sound like a business transaction," he slid the box back in it's original spot.

"So she's your girlfriend?"

"I wouldn't go far as to call her my girlfriend."

"She looks more like a mother than a girlfriend," Winnie muttered. Sirius frowned while making his way towards the open window. He stood in the center as he curtains billowed gently around him. He pulled off the cigarette that sat cushioned between his ear and his head. Winnie watched as he lit another one with a rusty metal lighter.

"You already had a cigarette."

Sirius glanced at Winnie behind his shoulder. He puffed out a trail of smoke.

"She doesn't let me smoke around her." He replied, referring to his second smoke within a 15-minute period. Winnie sat on the edge of his bed, bringing her right knee up to her chest. A moment of silence passed between them.

"Are you really a student?" Winnie asked, looking up at him. Sirius drew out a puff of smoke.

"Of course I am." He turned towards her, dangling the cigarette between his pointer and middle finger. "She pays for my tuition." He glanced around his room, looking at all four corners of his walls. "She paid for this apartment."

Winnie surveyed his room again. From her angle, she could see his open closet that was full of clothes in hues of white, grey and black. She recognized the stitching on the cuff of a white dress shirt that hung on a hanger. It was a £170 top from _Wingred's._

"She paid for those clothes too." He added once he noticed Winnie staring at his closet. Winnie nodded her head again, impressed with his lavish lifestyle. She would've never thought that a man like Sirius would dare to live as expensive as he was. Winnie remembered what he wore when she first met him; a simple black t-shirt with rugged black jeans and a pair of _Chuck Taylor's._

_"On second thought, his__ jeans __did look like a__ pair __from Leon Frank's 1982 Fall collection."_

Before she could recall what else he had worn, her view was suddenly shrouded in smoke. She waved her arm in the air to fan the toxic chemical from her face. Winnie shot him a dirty look before proceeding with more questions.

"How long have you been with her?"

Sirius took the last drag of out the cigarette before flicking it out the window. "A year. And I'm not with her."

"A year?" Winnie frowned. _"If he met Elva a year ago and she paid for his school fees… That must mean that he's…"_

"You don't look like a first-year student." She snorted.

Sirius sat on the windowsill, facing Winnie. He crossed his arms across his chest, looking quite intimidating. Winnie glanced at his arms but quickly averted her gaze when he looked at her.

"I'm in my fourth year."

"You look older than a fourth-year student."

"I took a break to work. I couldn't afford the fees before each year began."

Sirius recalled the countless nights he moonlighted in bars to afford his fees. He remembered wasting his summer nights working diligently to save up for school. When the school year began, he picked up odd jobs to pay for food and rent. Aside from a one-off purchase on a motorbike, he barely had enough to live on during the school year. He often found himself pecking at bread and tinned beans for all three meals of the day. He was forced to take several months off between each school year due to financial issues.

Winnie felt the joints in her knees ache. She stood up and circled the room, stopping to tidy her hair in the mirror. Sirius watched her as she poked a long fingernail in her hair, itching at her scalp.

"Your parents didn't offer to help you pay?"

Sirius shook his head. "I moved out at sixteen." Winnie noticed the tone in his voice go sour.

"That seems a bit early," she mumbled. Winnie couldn't imagine living on her own at sixteen. Upon arriving in London, she had issues adjusting for the first twelve months without her mother's help. She was only twenty when she learned how to cook an adequate meal for herself _("what do you mean a cheese toastie isn't appropriate for dinner?"). _Sirius ignored her remark and continued to stare at her in the mirror.

"Why do you keep staring?" She asked as she caught his eye in the reflection.

"Why are you in my room?" He replied defensively. Winnie whipped around to face him.

"Because there's a lunatic sitting at my front door!" She wailed. "Besides," she huffed, "you said I could stay here."

"For a bit." He added.

Winnie took back her spot on the edge of his bed, preparing to continue pestering Sirius with questions. She was genuinely curious about his and Elva's relationship.

"How did you meet her?" Winnie asked.

"In a bar."

Winnie wouldn't accept his short answer. She stared at him until he felt uncomfortable enough that he felt the need to elaborate.

"I was working in a bar when she offered to take me out for dinner. She paid for my meal, took me back to her place, and sent me home the next morning with £1,000."

Again, Winnie nodded approvingly. "You fancy older women?"

Sirius shrugged, "mommy issues." Winnie smiled.

"What about you?" He suddenly asked. Winnie mustered a _"huh?"_ as he caught her by surprise. "How'd you end up in London?"

Winnie shrugged. She wasn't expecting him to ask her about her backstory.

"I tried going to school," she trailed off. She frowned when thinking about her family in Garmsby. Winnie was once enrolled at a local college for a Nursing program to satisfy her parents. Not even a month had passed she had already skipped a week's worth of classes. She soon realized she hated having to sit in a classroom all day and learn about human anatomy. Every morning she left the house with her school-bag, only to work a six-hour shift on a nearby dairy farm. There, she worked for two months before the guilt settled in. Winnie couldn't face the shame and disappointment of her parents if she told them the truth Instead, she left on a one-way train ride to London before anyone in the house woke up. The next few weeks were tortuous for Winnie as she fought back and forth with her parents, but it was very liberating to live freely.

"I didn't like it." She quickly added. Her lips smacked shut after that, deciding not to reveal anymore.

Sirius gazed at her with his suspicions rising. He waited a moment or two for her to speak. She remained silent and refused to speak anymore on the subject. Sirius instead preoccupied his mind with the dark stain buried deep in the carpet. Thankful that he didn't prod, Winnie took the opportunity to continue her questioning.

"You act distant with Elva," she said, wondering why he spoke so shortly to her earlier that week. Winnie remembered his dry replies whenever she cooed at him lovingly.

He took in a deep breath before answering. "I used to think she was sexy. Her personality has made her ugly." Winnie noticed his face harden when answering her question. His eyebrows furrowed deeply, revealing the stress lines in his forehead.

"What do you mean?"

Sirius sighed again. "She's condescending. She's entitled and looks down at others for having less than her."

Winnie bit down on her bottom lip to keep a smile from forming on her face. It was amusing to hear how much he didn't like her, even if she kept him financially secure. Sirius sat back down on the windowsill. A minute of silence passed.

"What do you do again?" Sirius asked. Winnie lifted her chin off of the top of her knee.

"I'm a advertisement model."

"Like on those billboards?" Sirius pointed to the skyline of the city outside his window. Winnie nodded.

"Do you like modelling?"

Winnie frowned, "nobody likes to model. You're constantly starving and having others tell you what to do."

"Hey," he smiled, "we all 'ought to earn our money somehow right?"

Winnie snorted before her face fell again into a concentrated expression. "I'd like to work with children someday," she finally said, breaking the streak of silence. "I would _very much _like to work with children." She repeated to herself.

Sirius found the smile on her face to be genuine. He watched Winnie as she seemed to be deep in her own thoughts. Sirius let her think in silence while he lit another cigarette.


	6. Chapter 6 - An Invitation

_1985 London, England_

* * *

In the weeks following after catching Sirius and Elva together, Winnie's relationship with her neighbor had improved. The following morning, he even knocked on her door to ask if she had an extra teabag for him. When he waited inside her foyer, he ended up overstaying for two hours. Over a steaming hot cup of tea, he and Winnie discussed the importance of plant watering. Winnie adopted the tips she learned on how to keep her plants from wilting. In the next visit Sirius noticed how large the Jade plant in her kitchen had grown.

Sirius insisted that Winnie kept his number for any emergencies. She argued that climbing across the fire escape was far more practical. Sirius disagreed and explained how it could interrupt another intimate moment of his. Winnie reluctantly wrote his telephone number down in the pocketbook she kept in her day bag. Over the next few weeks, Winnie heard from Sirius at least once per day through the telephone, or in person.

On the first Monday of July, he called to borrow a cup of flour and on Tuesday she found a plate of cookies on her doorstep. When Wednesday rolled around, she bumped into him on her way inside the apartment complex. She urged him to take the second half of her croissant when he revealed he hadn't eaten anything yet. Even though he had planned to grab tea with Elva, he took the croissant and munched on it during his ride to brunch. Then on Friday, he gave Winnie his extra set of keys to the apartment building after he found Winnie waiting outside the door on a particularly hot, summer day when she forgot her keys at home.

Sirius was both a neighbor and a friend. She was thrilled to find a level-headed confidant with whom she could rely on. Her usual set of friends were rather dimwitted and reckless, she thought. Even though she kept an important piece of her life from him, she felt at ease when around him.

Winnie sat on the living-room floor with her legs sprawled out in front of her. The television played reruns of Betsy and The Twins, an old sitcom that was popular during the 1960s. She held a bottle of bright red nail-polish in her left hand and the brush in her right. Winnie found herself without any plans for the evening and decided to stay in for the night. As she applied the final coat of polish on her toenails, the doorbell suddenly rang. Winnie almost dropped the paintbrush soaked with red varnish. She wondered who could be at her door until she realized it was the delivery boy with her food.

Winnie waddled to the door, careful not to ruin her perfect pedicure. She unhinged the latch and opened the door wide enough to pop her head through the crack. Expecting to see a teenage delivery boy, she was instead met with a dashing smile belonging to Sirius. He was dressed in his usual all-black ensemble.

"What's wrong?" His smile faded when he saw Winnie's expression fall. She huffed as she opened the door wider, revealing her matching pajama set.

"I thought you were the delivery boy," she pouted. Sirius shot her a look before stepping into her apartment. He glanced at Winnie's pink pajamas and stifled the smile that dared to appear on his face. Sirius followed Winnie into the living room, stepping over the clutter of bags and shoes. She sat back down on the floor and started to fan her toes with her hand.

"What are you doing?" Sirius asked as he took a seat on her plush velvet couch. She continued to fan her freshly painted toenails.

"My toenails," she muttered with her eyes glued to the television screen. Sirius peeked over her shoulder to look at her feet.

_"Eugh!"_ He cried in disgust. She sighed while mentally preparing herself for another one of Sirius' antics.

"What?" She snapped while looking back at him. A deep frown was etched in his face.

"Your feet. They look horrid."

Winnie examined her feet and her toenails, which she spent half-an-hour trying to paint. She rotated her foot left and right, studying the shape and the skin. Winnie took pride in her appearance and spent careful time taking care of how she looked. She took herself once a month to get her hands and feet scrubbed clean at the salon. "_There's no point in spending more than £750 on a lovely pair of Jenkie Winna's if you don't keep your feet clean,"_ she believed. Winnie huffed at him. She knew her feet were above average as they felt soft and her cuticles were cleanly cut.

"Let me see your feet." Winnie insisted while poking Sirius' grey sock. His feet retracted back when he felt her finger wiggle between his toes.

"You don't want to see my feet," he said with a bit of humour in his voice. He leaned forward and grabbed the bottle of Coca Cola that Winnie opened earlier.

"Why not?" Winnie asked, watching him glug her bottle of soda. He wiped his mouth clean from any lingering droplets of the drink. As he leaned towards the table again to put back the bottle, he stopped his face a few inches away from Winnie's.

"My feet really smell," he whispered with a grin. Winnie almost knocked the Cola bottle off the table as she flung herself away from Sirius. She started to gag loudly as Sirius laughed unapologetically. Winnie couldn't begin to explain how repulsed she felt. After a few more minutes of dramatic dry-heaving, Winnie took her spot back on the floor near Sirius' legs. Together they sat in silence to watch reruns of the sitcom.

"You don't have any plans for tonight?" Sirius wondered when the show stopped for a commercial break. Winnie shook her head in response.

"I wanted to get enough rest for tomorrow," she replied. Sirius stared at the back of her head, wondering what she meant.

"What's happening tomorrow?" He asked out of curiosity. As Winnie was about to answer, she heard a knock on her door again.

"My food!" She screeched in delight. Jumping up, she bumped her elbow on the table before sprinting towards the door. Sirius dove for the soda bottle that was about to spill on the clean, white carpet.

Winnie took the bag that contained her takeout and said a quick 'thank-you' before shutting the door. She skipped back into the living room with the bag of food dangling in her hand. Unloading the bag, she placed several containers filled with food on the table. She gave Sirius a playful smile.

"Have you eaten yet?" She asked. Sirius shook his head as Winnie's smile turned into a wide, toothy grin. She opened the boxes that were piled high with seasoned chicken, noodles and vegetables. The smell of stove grease filled the air inside of the apartment. Winnie's mouth practically watered upon seeing the mountain of food. She nudged Sirius' leg as he made room on the couch for her to sit. She couldn't wait to eat and pawed for a box of noodles immediately. Sirius pushed the box towards her. Before he could blink, Winnie snatched the box up from the table and began shoving food into her mouth with a pair of wooden chopsticks.

Sirius glanced at the table full of food and then at her. "_Was she seriously_ _going to eat this all if I hadn't come?" _He thought. He watched as she again shoveled an obscene amount of noodles into her mouth.

"_Does she eat like this all the time? How? She's all skin and bones!" _Winnie's thin legs rattled against each other as she relished the food she was eating. Never before had Sirius seen a woman as small as Winnie eat a colossal meal. Not a minute had passed and she was almost done with her box.

_"Mphm,"_ she mumbled through a mouthful of food. She tore her eyes away from the television screen to look at Sirius.

"Why aren't you eating?" She asked, struggling to keep the noodles from spilling out of her mouth. She pointed her chopsticks to the other boxes of food on the table. Sirius remained silent, quietly criticizing her eating habits to himself. Winnie hastily opened another box that contained roasted vegetables coated with sesame oil.

"Is it a fork you need?" Winnie dug around in the bag and pulled out a white, plastic fork. She stuck the fork upright into another box of vegetables and pushed it towards Sirius. He glanced at her again as she went back to slurping her food. He sighed before deciding to start on the box of vegetables. Together they sat eating (Winnie inhaling and Sirius chewing) take-out and watching television.

"So what's happening tomorrow?" Sirius repeated his question from earlier. He poked around the vegetables in the box, looking for a carrot slice. All that was left were broccoli and bell peppers. He set the box down on the table, finished with his meal.

"Hm?" Winnie said, prodding at the last broccoli floret in the box. Once she realized what Sirius asked, she nodded her head and placed the cardboard box down on the table.

"My party!" She clasped her hands in excitement. "I'm hosting an event tomorrow night. So many socialites and upperclassmen will be there,"

"Upperclassmen?" Sirius thought. He frowned at the thought of being in a room with upperclassmen; the thought of them filled his mind with memories of his early childhood. He recalled the countless parties that his parents hosted at the Black estate. Sirius was apart of a successful lineage of aristocrats that were renowned for their belligerent (and often illegal) business practices. Despite their decades-long reputation for being truculent, the Black family loved to entertain. With every full moon, the mansion was full of wealthy upperclassmen, dancing to ballroom music and sipping on imported champagne. However, the idea of spending his evening in a room with London's socialites in his 20's made him scowl.

Winnie noticed how displeased he looked. "What," she grumbled. "You don't like parties?"

Sirius shook his head. "I don't like upperclassmen," he mumbled. Winnie waved her hand in the air, dismissing his response.

"Oh please!" Winnie chimed. She then took a minute to think about the crowd she invited. Honestly, she didn't like the presence of the upper class either. "They're not all bad," she assured both herself and Sirius. Sirius remained unconvinced.

"You should come!" She cheered when the idea came to her. Sirius made a face expressing distaste.

"I should?" He replied sarcastically. He brought an arm up behind Winnie, resting it on top of the couch. Winnie nodded fervently, becoming thrilled at the idea of Sirius attending. Despite his boyish antics, she grew fond of him over the last month.

"You should!" She said with too much enthusiasm. Winnie completely missed his sarcastic tone to which he chuckled.

"What's so funny?" She asked innocently. Sirius shook his head, telling her to not worry about it.

"So are you coming? Is that a definite yes to my invitation?"

"Did I give you a definite yes?" Sirius chortled. Winnie shrugged.

"You laughed."

"A laugh is not a definite yes."

Winnie bit her bottom lip. "A laugh is a "I'll-think-about-it" yes."

Again, Sirius laughed. He appreciated her quick-wit and likable humour. She grinned from ear to ear knowing that she had him contemplating the invitation, but Sirius still found himself on the fence about the idea. Even when Winnie tried to convince him by batting her long eyelashes, he wasn't sure.

The night continued on for another hour as the two went from civil conversation, to more childish banter. After finishing the mountain of food, Sirius asked if she wanted a glass of water from the kitchen. As he stood up from the couch, Winnie grabbed the fabric of his jeans tightly.

"For the party tomorrow, bring £75 in cash."

Sirius' eyebrows furrowed. He looked down at Winnie whose fist was balled up in his jeans.

"What is £75 going to get me?" He hadn't accepted her invitation yet.

"£75 won't get you anything," she coughed. "I waived your cover, but you'll need to bring a donation."

"A donation?" He barked.

"Yeah," she replied calmly. "It's a charity gala."

Sirius rolled his eyes very dramatically. She released her grip from his jeans as he walked out of the living room towards the kitchen. Winnie watched him as he disappeared behind the fridge to fetch water.

"It's a black-tie event!" She shouted after him. Just when she thought Sirius was pouring himself a drink, she heard the front door slam shut. Winnie jutted out her bottom lip.

"Sirius?" She called out. She waited a moment for him to reply. When no response was heard, she shifted her attention back to the television.

"I'll see you tomorrow at eight!" She hollered, in hopes that he would hear her from the hallway.


	7. Chapter 7 - The Gala

_1985 London, England_

* * *

The ballroom glowed magnificently under the soft, chandelier lighting. Hues of pink and yellow filled the room as the shimmering décor glimmered brightly against the light. Sheer curtains hung from the tall ceiling, cascading down on to the marble floor. Tables covered in white cloth crowded around an opening in the middle of the room. The smell of baked desserts, _escargots de Bourgogne _and red wine penetrated the air. With the help of her decorates, Winnie took pride in creating a delightful atmosphere.

It was only an hour into the event and Winnie found herself busy with conversation. She had been bouncing from one group to another, greeting everyone who came. She saw people that she recognized and introduced herself to those who she hadn't met. She didn't remember the guest-list being that long, but she did recall sending out invitations with a "plus-one" attachment. Either way, the event seemed to be going very well.

With a thin glass of champagne in her hand, Winnie waltzed towards a group of young socialites. They are chatting among themselves aimlessly. Winnie found an opening beside a woman whom she once met at a party, a few months back.

"Clara!" Her voice sounded as smooth as honey. Winnie wedged her way into the group and placed her hand gently on the woman's back. The woman, Clara, gave Winnie a warm smile. She embraced Winnie in her arms and gave her a friendly kiss on the cheek.

"Winnie! It's been far too long since I've last seen you." Clara chimed back. The other women in the circle smiled at Winnie, knowing she was the hostess.

"Are those vintage pearls?" A young woman gasped. Winnie's hand flew up to the necklace sitting above her décolletage. She rolled the pearls between her fingers.

"From 1912," she cooed, "they were a gift from my grandmother."

The group shared a fair amount of "ooh's" and "aah's" as they gazed admiringly at Winnie's necklace.

"I want to thank you all for coming out tonight." Winnie began, glancing at all the women in the circle. "Your support means a lot to me and the underprivileged children of London."

Winnie looked at the table of donations between two of the women. She saw an organized pile of various toy cars, Barbie dolls, and even a play-mansion.

"The ballroom looks gorgeous Winnie," another woman cooed. Winnie flashed her a brilliant smile, beaming at the compliment. She spent an entire week pairing coloured fabrics together to create an interesting colour scheme. Her vision was to make the ballroom sparkle while still looking warm and elegant.

"Thank you," she nodded, feeling flattered that her effort didn't go unnoticed.

An event server came up from behind Winnie holding a tray of bubbly champagne and green olives stuffed with imported cheese.

"Care for some champagne?" He asked. The women without a drink cheered as they darted towards his tray. A hoard of manicured nails wrapped themselves around the glasses, emptying the platter. He smiled at Winnie before disappearing into the crowd to fetch more alcohol. The circle of women huddled closer together as the live band began to play a rich ballroom waltz. The noise of conversation in the room quickly grew louder over the sound of the string quartet. As Winnie sipped on her drink, the women erupted into more meaningless chatter.

"Can you believe she did that?" A socialite within the circle gasped after gossip ensured. The rest of the women shook their heads in despair. Winnie hid her annoyance by taking a large gulp of champagne. She stopped partaking in gossip after realizing how catty it made her look. Instead, she kept her lips tight to stop her from joining in the conversation.

"She's an absolute mess." Another socialite quipped.

"Have you seen her boyfriend?"

"The man with the shaggy hair?

"No, she stopped seeing him after her father filed for bankruptcy."

An ill-shrieking gasp spilled out from one of the women.

"Bankruptcy?"

"I thought her father accepted the deal with Mr. Collins?"

"No. That deal fell out."

"That's why she's dating the new guy."

"Why, what does he do?"

"He's the next heir to the Ivan family Corporation."

"Ivan's Textiles?"

"I think that's one of their subsidiaries. Most of their wealth comes from the oil industry."

"Aren't they Russian?"

"She's dating a Russian?"

"Oh dear."

"What a mess."

"I heard that their stock price rose dramatically last week."

"That explains why she's with him."

Winnie's lips were practically glued to the edge of her glass. She managed to gulp down her drink in the span of ten minutes. Her mind was ringing with the sound of the voices around her. She desperately wanted to jump into conversation, but she kept her composure.

"Need more champagne." She thought as she peered down at the last drop of champagne in her glass.

Her eyes darted between the heads of the group, searching around the room for a young server to top her drink. It was then she spotted Sirius entering the grand double-doors of the ballroom. Two butlers held the door open for him as he stood in the centre, glancing around the room. Winnie immediately noticed his hair that hung in ringlets above his shoulders. He looked stark amongst the guests at the event with his all black ensemble. The glimmer of several silver rings caught Winnie's eye as they shone brightly off his fingers. The ringing in her head ceased once she saw him.

"Care for more champagne?" A new voice ruptured her trance. She blinked several times before turning towards the man and his bottle of champagne.

"Oh, yes." She nodded, bringing her glass towards him. As he carefully poured the drink into her chalice, she looked back at the doors of the ballroom. They were still open, but Sirius was nowhere to be found. Winnie panicked as her eyes searched the room for him.

"Winnie!" A low voice bellowed suddenly. She turned on her heel to see an attractive man, striding towards her with an irresistible smile on his face. Winnie recognized the man instantly; Donovan Mullen, Chair of the Board for Save the Children UK.

"Oh my God! He responded to my invite!" She thought as the man planted a gentle kiss on her hand. Winnie could hardly believe a powerful figure like him would be seen at a low-profile event. She plastered the largest smile on her face and dove straight into her bag of networking skills. With an aura of charm and mischief, she plunged straight into conversation with the man with high authority.

* * *

Sirius stalked towards the table of sweets, particularly eyeing the mountain of croissants piled high into a pyramid. He found it odd to see the volume of croissants compared to the other treats offered on the table. He couldn't help but laugh quietly to himself, knowing this was entirely Winnie's idea.

Earlier that evening, he sat on the couch with a carton of orange juice watching cartoons on his television set. He had plans to meet Elva for evening tea, but she called to cancel for an important business matter worth settling. Sirius wasn't religious, but he did ponder at whether Elva's cancellation was a sign from God that he should attend Winnie's charity event. He knew the event would consist of conceited, upper-class attendees. However, seeing as he was fond of Winnie he figured that she would appreciate his support if he were to attend.

He set down the half-empty carton of juice and sighed. A pressed suit hung in his closet, waiting to be worn. He looked down at his joggers that were stained with last night's dinner that he shared with Winnie. He (reluctantly) trudged into his bedroom and threw open his closet doors. He hadn't yet worn his new Armani suit that was gifted to him by Elva.

Again, he sighed. "This is going to be total shit."


	8. Chapter 8 - A Glass Full of Whisky

_1985 __London, England_

* * *

Sirius slowly chewed on the lemon tart that grew more sour the longer it stayed in his mouth. He spit out the dessert in disgust, grimacing at the bright yellow curd. He shook his head and left the table of sweets, deciding to search for a talented barman.

After what felt like an eternity of searching, Sirius couldn't locate a bar to serve him a rich glass of whisky. Instead, he found severs running back and forth with trays toppled with champagne. Sirius frowned, feeling upset that his only choice of drink was a bubbly French wine. He eyed a nearby bus boy who kept busy restocking squares of lemon bars on another table.

"Hey, you there," he nodded at the bus boy who immediately gave Sirius his attention. Sirius beckoned the boy closer. The boy didn't look to be above 18, at the very least.

"What type of party is this? Where's all the alcohol?" Sirius complained. The boy's eyes shifted to the large group of attendees huddled in the middle of the room.

"There are servers carrying trays of red wine and champ-"

"I don't like either of those." Sirius interrupted. The boy stared at Sirius, unsure of how to answer. He began to stumble on his words as Sirius opened his suit and dove into a pocket hidden in the inner silk lining.

"I bet you could find a short glass of whiskey in the kitchens back there," Sirius mumbled. He pointed at a door in the far-right corner that flew open every second with servers running in and out. The boy turned his head to see what Sirius was referring to. When the boy looked back at Sirius, there was a £20 bill folded neatly between Sirius' index and middle finger. The boy's eyes widened at the whopping tip.

"Right away sir." He nodded enthusiastically while stashing the bill into his back pocket. The bill made him forget about the unfinished tray of lemon bars he was currently stacking. Instead, he whizzed around Winnie's guests, making a beeline towards the kitchen.

Feeling content, Sirius lingered back near an open window where the sun began to set. There, he stood with his hands deep into his pockets, looking out at the crowd in front of him. He barely noticed a slim woman slink her way towards him. When she stood directly next to him, the strong scent of her perfume sat thick in the air. His nose tickled with the scent of artificial vanilla and medicine. Without moving his head, he glanced sideways at the woman who stood as tall as him. Her black hair sat like a mop on her head, fallen curls framing her pointy cheeks and chin. The makeup she wore was reminiscent of trends from the 20s; thin eyebrows, smudged liner and a maroon coloured lip.

"You're far too handsome to be sulking on the sidelines." Her smooth voice cascaded in his ear. Sirius finally turned his head to look at the woman talking to him. She was adorned with jewels from head to toe and appeared as if she were worth a million dollars. With a quick glance, Sirius noticed the accessories were of synthetic cubic zirconia.

"I'm not interested in socializing." He replied. He didn't return her smile or even meet her eyes. The woman noticed his disinterest, but that intrigued her more. Her eyes twinkled with playfulness as she tapped the counterfeit pearls on her neck.

"You don't seem like the type to socialize." She agreed with him.

"Did you come alone?" The woman pressed. Only twenty minutes had passed since Sirius arrived and he already felt irritated

"I did." He said without any positive emotion in his voice. The server from earlier came rushing into Sirius' view, balancing a short glass of whisky on his tray. He skidded to a stop in front of Sirius as the liquid rushed against the lip of the glass.

"Here you go, sir," the boy squeaked. Sirius took the drink from the tray and swirled the alcohol around in the glass. He admired the perfectly cut ice cubes sitting at the bottom of his drink.

"You're a divine man. Thank you." He gave the server a warm smile. The young man smiled before darting back into the crowd. The woman watched the entire ordeal, and her interest in Sirius spiked considerably. She let him take a sip of his drink before continuing the lacking conversation.

"How do you know Winnie?" The woman asked. Sirius brought the glass up to his lips again, not wanting to answer her question. He didn't mind the awkward silence that followed her unanswered question; he wished to be left alone. The woman frowned, but quickly hid her embarrassment with a perky smile.

"Are you here supporting the Children's Founda-"

"Who is that man over there?" Sirius interrupted her. While maintaining a firm grip on his glass, he used his index finger to point at a tall man speaking to Winnie. Sirius only noticed them a few seconds ago. Sirius watched the man take Winnie's hand and kiss it, flashing her a pearly white smile. The woman's smile faded as she craned her neck to see who he was pointing at.

"The man in the navy-blue suit." Sirius' forehead creased as he frowned at the duo. He glanced at the woman whose eyes were slanted as she squinted to see who he was referring to. Sirius grabbed her by the arm and jostled her closer to him. She let out a startled yelp as Sirius' grip remained loose on her arm.

"Do you see him? Ugly navy blue?"

The woman scoffed once she noticed who Winnie stood next to. "That's Donovan Mullen. He's Chairman for Save the Children UK," she answered while stepping out of Sirius' grasp. "And that's a beautiful shade of blue that he's wearing!"

Sirius squinted as he sized up the man. "It's a black-tie event. He's not following dress code."

The woman rolled her eyes at his comment. "He's the Chairman. He can wear whatever he wants." She sneered. The two stood again in silence.

"Who are you?" The woman suddenly asked. Sirius kept his eyes on Winnie as she playfully patted Donovan's chest.

"Sirius." He grumbled, bringing his glass up to his lips to take a long sip.

"Sirius," the woman drawled out his name. She paused for a few seconds, staring at him as if for a moment, she recognized him.

"It's nice to meet you Sirius." Her long fingernails pointed towards him as she held her hand for him to shake it. Sirius glanced down at her thin, pale hand. He could see the blue veins behind her translucent skin. Several chunky silver chains dangled off her wrists, looking tarnished and tacky. Sirius frowned before taking her hand lightly in his.

"I'm Emma."

"Lovely to meet you." He replied, nodding politely. Sirius brought the glass up to his lips and took another large swig of his drink. His eyes made their way back to Donovan who now stood closer to Winnie than before. He figured he would need a few more to last him through the evening. Emma kept staring at Sirius through her small eyes, watching him as his eyes darted between Donovan and Winnie.

"Are you a friend of Winnie's?" Emma asked. Sirius gazed at Winnie who stood in front of the towering man, a toothy smile stretching across her face. Despite the orchestra playing Johannes Brahms at an alarming volume, he could hear Winnie's laugh chime through the air. She looked radiant, he thought.

"Hm?" Sirius mumbled before realizing that Emma asked him a question. He wondered how long he had been staring at Winnie.

Emma chuckled, "Winnie." She pointed at her with her finger. "Are you friends?"

Sirius averted his eyes towards the large crowd, purposely trying to avoid looking in Winnie's direction. He brought his glass again to his lips.

"I'm her neighbor," he replied into the glass before taking another sip. Emma's thin, black eyebrows perked up at his answer.

"Her neighbor?" She repeated. "You must have a lot of money then."

Sirius rolled his eyes. Even without mentioning his bloodline he found that the topic of wealth emerged naturally in many of his conversations. Emma took a step towards Sirius to which he immediately noticed and shuffled a half-step away. He immediately felt an aversion to her; her small perky face matched her uppity attitude.

"Are you a wealthy business man?" She quipped.

"No." Sirius promptly replied.

"You're wearing a very expensive suit."

Sirius' brows furrowed below his forehead, causing deep lines to appear. "It's my brothers."

"Is your brother a wealthy business man?"

"My brother is dead." The lines on Sirius' forehead grew deeper the more Emma prodded.

"What's your family's name?"

"Black."

"Is your family wealthy?"

"I don't have any family."

"Are you a socialite?"

"I'm a student."

"You're in a room with some of the wealthiest socialites of London."

Sirius titled his head back and held his glass right against his mouth. He downed the rest of his drink, cherishing the sour taste. He then turned towards Emma and held up his empty glass close to her chin. Emma looked down at the glass confused but reluctantly took it from him.

"And I'm talking to one of the poorest." Sirius said with a grin, tugging at her second-hand store necklace. He then turned away from her and locked eyes with the bus boy who served him the drink from earlier.

"You! My fine young man, I would appreciate if you could whip up another one of those!" Sirius shouted, sounding far more enthusiastic than he currently felt.

Emma took a deep breath as she stared at Sirius through slanted eyes. She began to grow distasteful towards Sirius but his mysterious demeanor kept her curious.

Despite her dampened self-esteem, she didn't bother to defend herself from his insult. Emma was keen on continuing conversation with him as she felt as though she knew him. Besides, she had barely a conversation with anyone else since arriving. It was as if the guests _knew _she was of working class. She attempted to hide her true nature by dressing in pearls, but it seemed to single her out.

"Hah!" She barked, forcing a smile on her face. Emma's pride restrained her from showing any negative emotions. "You're too easy to fool. I'm not even a socialite," she shrugged.

Sirius chuckled. He decided to let his guard down with her after realizing she wasn't a threat to him. She wasn't wealthy, nor entitled like the rest of the crowd around him.

Emma noticed Sirius' appearance soften. "When did you meet Winnie?" She asked.

"A few months ago. She leant me some sugar when I was out," he replied. The corners of Emma's mouth turned upwards at his reply.

She looked at him suggestively, "she leant you her sugar?"

Sirius looked at her with a blank stare. "Yes," he said slowly, "I like to bake".

Emma sighed at the handsome man dressed in black who ignored her sarcasm. The young bus boy emerged from the crowd, holding a silver tray with two glasses. He sauntered towards Sirius, holding the tray with both hands to prevent it from slipping. The boy stopped in front of Sirius, bowing at him and Emma.

"How does she know so many socialites?" Sirius asked Emma while grabbing the drinks from the tray. Sirius gave him a wink, thanking him for his prompt service. The boy smiled before dipping back into the crowd of guests. Sirius offered Emma her drink to which she took it. They clanked their glasses together before each taking a sip.

"And why is she so keen on flirting with upperclassmen dressed in ugly blue suits?" Sirius added, raising his glass towards Winnie and Donovan.

Emma stared wistfully at the adoring duo. "The socialite circle is small in London. If you make a good impression with the right people, you're in."

Sirius glanced at the guests in the large ballroom. Growing up, his family did not entertain with the socialites. His mother, Walburga, thought that socialites were inferior. They were only accepted by the very few based on their personality and looks. Walburga only adored those with old family bloodlines soaked with wealth and reputation. His father, Orion, only conducted business with those from other old English lineages. Sirius knew of only a handful of wealthy families situated in London. He did not recognize a single face in the room. He could almost hear his mother's voice in his head sneering _"new money"._

"Is her family wealthy?" Sirius asked, taking a sip of his drink. Emma cackled, finding the question to be humorous.

"Oh, her family is poorer than the poor," she sighed. Her comment made Sirius hold his drink in midair, just as he was about to take another sip. He only assumed that she came from wealth considering her lavish lifestyle at such a young age. It was hard to believe that a young woman like Winnie could amass a fortune like hers. He then considered that Emma could just simply be stirring up gossip for the sake of conversation. But, there was a quiet thought in Sirius' mind that made him believe that Emma knew Winnie more personally. Just from her appearance, Sirius concluded that Emma wasn't a socialite. He glanced at the small crowd forming around Winnie and Donovan. Surrounding them were men and women groomed to perfection.

"How is she allowed to flirt with the affluential then?" Sirius pondered.

"Our Winnie is a real charmer," Emma replied before sipping on her champagne. Sirius frowned as he thought hard about what Emma was insinuating.

"You mean she impressed everyone here based on her personality?" He asked in shock. Winnie's charisma was unbeatable, yet he found it absurd how easily she could entertain such a prosperous inner circle. Sirius came from a very affluent family and had lived a noble life until he fled at 16. He knew that there was something unordinary happening.

"You don't think she's charming?" Emma questioned.

Sirius studied Winnie. Her expressions were animated as she looked to be telling an interesting story to her guests. The crowd around her beamed with smiles and stared at her with upmost adoration.

Sirius nodded while staring at her, "she's very charming."

Emma's eyes darted several times between Sirius and Winnie. It was becoming clear to her that Sirius was interested in Winnie; all men were interested in Winnie. Emma's first encounter with Winnie was when Winnie begged her for a room in her 2-bedroom flat. Emma already had plans for a friend to move in, but Winnie was far too convincing. When Emma lost her job and couldn't afford rent, Winnie promised her that she would settle it. Winnie wore a short jean skirt and a barely-there top as she begged their landlord for forgiveness. When Emma's car broke down, Winnie waltzed into the auto-repair shop with an adorable smile. Twenty minutes later, she had convinced the mechanic for free repair services. Winnie didn't need money; she had her quick wit and dazzling smile.

Emma cocked her head at Sirius, giving him a look of pity. "You really don't know anything about her?"

Sirius did not respond as he did not understand by what Emma meant. A sly smile appeared on Emma's lips as her eyes twinkled with excitement.

"I'll let you in on a little rumor," she said with a lowered voice. She leaned into Sirius and brought her hand up to her mouth.

"There's a rumor circling that she's a call girl," Emma shared before stepping back. A devilish smile remained on her lips as she watched for Sirius' reaction.

"A what?" He asked in disbelief. He's never heard of the term "call girl" before.

""Wealthy men pay to take her out, for her to accompany them to their business galas. I've seen her go on dates with several different men in a single week." Emma explained, her voice sounding very condescending. It was difficult to believe Emma's words; Winnie would have told him if she was a call girl. If the rumor was true, Sirius and Winnie were far more alike than Sirius originally thought.

"Some say that she sleeps around for money," Emma continued as Sirius stared at Winnie with a fixed expression. He felt his jaw clench in response.

"I'm not sure. But then again, people don't publicly show how desperate they can be," Emma shrugged. She brought the champagne glass up to her lips and finished the drink in one, swift gulp.

Surely, it was just a rumor, Sirius thought. There have been many rumors about him since fleeing his family home that simply weren't true. Besides, how credible could Emma be? He had only known her for an hour since arriving. The only impression he had of her was derived from her poor fashion choices and tasteless conversation. While Sirius hadn't known Winnie for long, he felt as though their friendship was genuine and true. Winnie would have shared such information to Sirius on the night he revealed his relationship with Elva.

Sirius' expression softened as he began to grow calmer and more level-headed. Emma took quick notice of this, "you don't think it's true, do you?"

Sirius cracked his knuckles. "Shouldn't you know better than to gossip about the hostess at her own event?" Sirius challenged. Emma snorted, rolling her eyes at his comment. She placed her empty champagne glass on the ledge behind her and leaned uncomfortably close into Sirius' ear.

"I'm sure Walburga would be so disappointed knowing the women you surround yourself with," Emma sneered.

Sirius felt his body freeze at the mention of his mother's name. He slowly lifted his gaze from the floor to Emma only to see a thin, deceptive smile creep across her face.


End file.
